


Walls have ears

by Kats0wo



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending..., Cults, Mystery, Sky Gods - Freeform, creepy town, no mobs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-22
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26589769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kats0wo/pseuds/Kats0wo
Summary: "Walls have ears,Doors have eyes,Beware the rain, beware the snow.Beware the man you think you know."Tommy wanted to get away from the memories, to start his life anew in a new village. Why is he forced to get involved in this cult nonsense then?!
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & TommyInnit, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Tommyinnit & Badboyhalo, Tommyinnit & Skeppy, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 66
Kudos: 284
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	1. Shame

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by: Silent Hill 2 and The Ritual (If u know what the twist is thanks to these titles- pls don't spoil everyone else thx ;3)

The sound of wheels turning as the caravan left another empty town made Tommy feel hopeless. He boredly looked at the plain surroundings, lifeless trees and more grey skies, wondering about the lack of civilization here. Surely, after all those empty towns, the next one will be empty too right? What's the point of continuing in this direction?

The old man sitting next to him chuckled. "Trust me son', dirt paths always lead to civilization." Was he that much of an open book? Grunting, he continued observing around. Son. It's been a while since he's been called that. Playing with his necklace, he reminded himself why he was here. He had to find a new home. He couldn’t stay in his old anymore. He couldn’t afford to be picky either, so he just sighed again accepting his fate of forever trekking this road.

"Oh a new one already? We might get lucky this time!"

Tommy whipped his head around to stare at the front. He had to squint because of the mist, but there was a distinct outline of a gate in the distance. He didn't want to have his hopes up, but this is a break in the pattern. This might actually be something! Fuck yeah!

The chariot passed under the looming gates and Tommy got excited when he saw people walking around. He jumped off the ledge and landed with a thump.

He looked to the old man he had been travelling with. They weren’t friends per say, but the teen felt sympathetic towards him. His wife had a miscarriage a month ago, and so he was searching for a new home far away from the memories. Tommy could relate in that regard. A change of scenery would only help his mental health. They had bonded over their shared guilty conscience, yet for the blond, this was still just a kind stranger.

"Ok, that's enough freeloading, boy. Run along now."

Tommy nodded in understanding. Now he had to do everything on his own. He looked around. The houses seemed to all be made of wood but painted … white? It was in an old style, with slanted roofs and pretty windows. Maybe it was really warm here. Speaking of, the grey skies seem to have left suddenly. Daylight shone in the windows and the boy felt happy to be in a new place.

There was a shopping market over on the left. He headed towards it with certain steps. First, he will find a job. Maybe until he gets his first paycheck he could sleep in the woods? The forest seemed pretty dark and rather big actually, there's probably enough space for him.

The boy keeps walking. All the people seemed friendly but also busy. There was also a distinct difference between how some dressed. Some had warm clothing with lots of light colors, while the others dressed less modestly and also wore more red. Also, all of those that wore red sported masks that hid their faces. It was creepy.

It was afternoon now and his stomach grumbled. He should hurry up to find a job or he'll have to suffer hunger forever.

Tommy paced about, but everyone looked at him strangely. As though they weren't used to newcomers. He continued checking every food stall, but no one wanted to interact with him. Pouting, he continued walking, hands in pockets. The sun was reaching the horizon and he still hadn't found anyone to talk to. Fine then. He was going to search for a dry spot in the woods to sleep in first and worry about food later.

As he marched angrily towards the trees, he heard a voice shout. “Oh you muffin! Come over here.” The voice was close. Turning around, he spotted a hooded man waving his hand. He wore lots of white and black. He also wasn't sporting a mask, yet his face stayed hidden underneath his hood’s shadow. Surprised, the kid strolled up to the guy who was acting nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t just given him a heart attack.

“Hello Mr…?” The blond was going to be polite. No need to start any beef. Yet.

“Call me Badboyhalo!” He audibly smiled while talking. He couldn’t say for sure though because of the shadows shielding his face. The man was pretty short, perhaps his height if Tommy felt generous. He was also holding...Pastries?

Bad also seemingly remembered this. With an excited hum, the man reached into his bag. Out came a muffin. Tommy was speechless trying to understand the situation. Gulping saliva down his throat, he heard his stomach grumble. The man with a high pitched voice laughed, before handing it to the teen casually.

“Here ya’ go!” Again, the man seemed way too happy in this strange town where everyone strayed away from the newcomer. He wasn’t complaining though, and bit into the blueberry goodness. _Delicious_.

After licking his lips for the crumbs, he asked.”So...Bad… Do you work in a bakery? And if so, are they hiring?” The man looked surprised at the question. Huffing, he responded. “No, sadly. My boss just mostly lets me do whatever in the kitchen, as long as there's enough to feed the others after.”

“So he just let’s you fuck around? Cool!” Bad’s aura darkened and the shadows appeared much more dark suddenly. The previously genial young guy now looked like an angry revengeful demon. The whites in the man’s eyes shined evilly before; “Language mister!”

Tommy felt afraid. But also, not really. “Or what, _bitch_?”

  
  


A moment later, he’s running for his life.

He’s sure that if he stops, that's the end for him. So long life. He’d angered the wrong muffin-lover and he regrets it. He ran, going through the crowded streets trying to lose the crazy dude by mixing in with the locals. It seemed to work, surprisingly.

After a minute where he couldn’t hear someone chasing him, he stopped, gasping for air. He’s never doing that again. That was a huge waste of time and he’d only accomplished getting an enemy. At least he knew more about the town’s layout? Getting up, he walked slowly towards the forest. He still had to find a spot to sleep in, and the sky was already pretty dark.

He rounded a corner to get away from civilization further, but heard some people talking. He decided to eavesdrop a bit. Might as well try and ask them for help after, hopefully this time there will be less muffins and running away.

“Seriously Will! You know what I have to do now after what that he did-”

“You know my opinions on those. I won’t allow another one-”

Tommy accidentally hit his foot as he was repositioning himself to hear better and caused a noise. There was silence on the other side of the wall. Welp, his cover was blown. He stiffly stepped around and got to observe the men.

They seemed well off, nice clothes and well fed, but both really angry. Both in their early twenties, they wore contrasting clothing. Furrowing his eyebrows, he approached the shorter guy. The man was tall, wore gloves, had pink hair and... also a crown? Clearing his throat, he waited for him to demand answers for his actions but-..but he didn't. He only continued staring at the brunette. Ok, Rude.

Clearing his throat again he still didn't see a reaction. Frowning, he tugged the man's sleeve. He was far from being short, even if only 16. They should be able to see him unless blind in both eyes. Finally, the guy looked at him.

"What do you want, nerd?" The deep grumbling voice surprised him, coming from the pink haired one. The boy started to feel nervous, these men didn't know him and he'd just rudely interrupted their fighting. The guy still looked agitated, although calming down after every deep breath he took.

Gulping, he responded. "I-...You seem to know your way around these parts. Are any places hiring?" He had always been told to be wary around strangers, but this was his best bet right now. Fidgeting with his shirt he waited for a response.

The man hummed impassively. "Parents?"

Tommy lifted his head defensively, his jaw clenching. "None." 

The men share a look before the brown haired one offers. "You know... I've got this job position you could take...It also offers lodging-"

"Don't take that sky pleb's help. Those loonies can't even feed their own." He dismissed the other with a wave of his hand. With a crinkle in his eye, the charismatic man bent down to look at Tommy in eye level. "My name is Technoblade, and I actually care about those in my business. I also know that they wouldn't mind a new member joining!"

A gut instinct of his kicked him but he ignored it resoundingly. Sure, this guy seems off, but if things got bad he could just leave right? Rubbing his chin, he nodded, sure of decision.

The brown haired guy chuckled ominously before shouting "When you get sick of his shit, my door's always open. Name's Wilbur by the way!" as Techno led him away.

As he followed the other, he was surprised by the noise of a bell not too far away. When asked, all the pinketter responded was ‘yeah don’t worry about it’. So he didn’t.

Tommy went to sleep that night in a soft bed. 


	2. Remorse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy's getting used to the Town. Sure it's a little weird, but he's ok with that.

The next morning, Tommy sat down at a wooden table. He was alone in his room with only his thoughts to distract him. A maid had served him some food. The potatoes tasted delicious and fresh while the fish tasted a bit too salty. Eating his plate, he wondered about the content of his day.

Techno hadn't told him what his job entailed, so he felt nervous. Was he unprepared? Would they kick him out if he didn't meet their standards? Then what- living on the streets forever? Or will he go to that Wilbur guy for help?

A loud knock interrupted his train of thoughts. Speak of the devil and he shall appear. The pink haired man entered, eyes surveying the room curiously. Understandable, since Tommy had strewn his few objects around the room the moment after arriving. For example, his shirt was hanging off his bed frame. Chuckling embarrassingly, he awkwardly rubbed his neck while discreetly placing the shirt back onto the bed.

The man scoffed at his childishness, before placing his hands on his hips. "In five minutes, be ready. I will show you where you work."

Blue eyes widen, before quickly finishing his food and changing. He's dressed in a simple white shirt with red sleeves and blue pants.

Techno raised an eyebrow when he saw him, but didn't explain his surprise. He started walking without prompting.

Tommy lagged behind, but tried his best to follow the man's quick pace. It's unfair! He doesn't have long legs unlike the giant next to him-

In the corner of his vision, for a split second, there was a boy running. Flinching he turned around to see the brown haired boy fully, but he'd disappeared...what?

His boss looked down at him curiously, but Tommy refused to acknowledge what happened. Must've been a trick of the light or something.

They resumed walking, past all the houses and past the paved roads. Techno only stopped when they arrived in front of a field. Tommy looked around and saw it was full of people farming…potatoes? He looked up questioningly at the pink haired man, but all the other did was grin. "These, Tommy, are my potato minions."

Tommy smiled alongside him. Man, this guy was hilarious. "I guess…you're the expert in the field!" He thought his pun was very clever. The other seemed to think so too because he giggled.

As they laughed together, Tommy looked around a bit better. The men and women farming all wore red identical masks that covered their whole faces. Techno and him seemed the only ones with exposed expressions. The sun was still rising but it seemed they had been going at it for a while,

And there was some blood splattered next to the potatoes.

Doing a double take, he confirmed that yes. There was some blood on the fence surrounding the field. He jerked his head looking at Technoblade, but the man seemingly also noticed. Techno furrowed his eyebrows and glared at the spot. His gaze turned to Tommy and the boy felt cautiously examined.

"We… we don't take kindly to people stealing from us."

  
"Don't give me that look," there was an insane glint in the red eyes of this man. "You won't ever need to steal, so don't worry."

The sun seemed slightly too red in the sky. The wind slightly too sharp and the atmosphere slightly too crushing. Tommy almost collapsed, but Techno must've realized his effect on the blond since he patted his back affectionately.

"Hey uhm. This might be different to what you're used to but, this is life here." The probably comforting words had the opposite consequence on the teen. This is normal? Just a daily occurrence? What the fuck’s wrong with these people. He felt sick.

Gloved hands hugged him tightly. The man holding him whispered, "Tommy listen to me. Before coming here, my parents had been victims of starvation." He squeezed harder. "And I wouldn't ever let that happen again. That’s why I did it."

The man's words, while ominous, snapped him out of his stupor and made him feel warm. Family? Did Technoblade see him as family? Blue eyes teared up. It had been so long since he was part of one. He missed the safety, the love.

"After losing them I had felt so so lost. Depressed, unaware of what life had for me, all I could do was wander." Tommy saw himself in these words.

"That's why this group was started. We stand even in our loss, and we have one goal that we help each other achieve. To be happy."

Tommy watched the people working again, this time with the new information as lenses. They all seemed…content? It was hard to tell because of the plates covering their faces, but the atmosphere was happy. This guy must be serious since he managed to convince so many people to collaborate. 

The boy will trust him. The man has helped him already, and the least he could do now was to help this guy with his goals. He smiled. Maybe he could change his bad behavior while he's at it!

The blood stain incident was moved to the back of his mind. It probably wasn't too important.

  
____

  
He was elbow deep in dirt. That was something he never believed he’d say, but here he was. The potatoes were about 8 inches apart when growing, so he had to move a lot. 

Looking to the side, he saw that his boss was also doing the dirty work. The man didn’t act much like a leader to be honest. Sure, he was charismatic, but honestly the only thing separating him from all the others here was his sheer presence. All his followers practically bowed when they saw him.

An example of this came abruptly, when a teen suddenly ran up to them. The kid wore a red scarf, the usual mask but in blue and cyan shirt and pants. He had been panting, hands on knees trying to catch his breath. Techno looked at the boy amused.

“What’s up?” He spoke with familiarity.

“Yo dude, I finally finished the preparations for tomorrow.” The words were slightly slurred since he talked too fast. His voice was high-pitched, yet unmistakably proud of himself.

“Excellent.”

“Who’s the new guy?” He got closer to examine better. The strange mask hid the other’s expression and it freaked the blond out. “WOW he's way too young to be here!”

“I know. Here’s Tommy. Tommy, this is Skeppy.”

“Uh hi… What do you mean, too young?” He goes straight to the point.

Skeppy frowns and rants. “This town is horrible. It’s just suffering and pain for those unfortunate enough to visit! Everyone here is tormented and-”

“I think that's enough Skeppy. We’ve talked about this.”

The teen pouted. Honestly, he didn’t sound much older than Tommy himself yet still behaved much more childish. The blond also felt confused about what was said. Was the town really that bad? Hands on his hips, he decided he’d ask Techno later.

“Welp that’s all!” The guy chuckles. His mood flipped for no reason and it bothered Tommy unreasonably. “I’m actually gettin’ kinda hungry… Hey, new kid, wanna know where all the sweet shops are?”

He looks up at Techno for approval. Technically he hadn’t started working yet and was only being shown the ropes, so he could leave right? The pink haired man nodded at the questioning look. Tommy didn’t see why not to take the offer. “Fuck yeah!”

The blue man excitedly gripped his hand and led him towards the city. He was already regretting his decision.  
_____

Skeppy didn’t take his time showing all the food stalls. Apparently, everyone in this town knew each other, so whenever they got to a new spot, the teen recounted embarrassing stories about the folks working. They all also apparently hated the man with passion.

“Why do they all look at you as though the second coming of Satan?” Tommy asked while laughing. One incredibly fit owner had chased them the moment she saw Skeppy. The blond was surprised by the amount of hate he got from hanging around the guy.

Speaking of, Skeppy winced at the question. “Dude you...You really shouldn’t do religious jokes here uh. These guys are intense about that subject.” Blinking curiously, Tommy didn’t let up the staring until that was further explained. The teen obviously felt uncomfortable, but he didn’t clarify. Instead,

“The reason is, I'm known as the best prankster here!" He sounded proud, bragging about his past exploits. They were just walking now, in some less populated part of the town. They were in silence after that declaration, munching on food that some merciful market people gave them. Skeppy nervously glanced down at the boy from time to time, so much so that the he called the guy out on it.

“Stop acting like, fucking weird or something. What do you want?”

“I’M NoT!...I was just wondering... why are you here?” 

“Thats a loaded question.” He coughed slightly to ease the ball in his throat. “Why do you wanna know?” 

“A few years ago, me and my friend went hiking. There was an avalanche. He had been cut off from me and-” The guy took a deep breath, before finishing with slow words, so different from his fast pace before. “I don’t know where he is. I’ve been searching but, no luck.” 

  
“...Why are you telling me this?”

“Well, the more people know to search, the more chances that someone met him yeah?” He mumbled quietly . “ -and it’s been so long that there have been newcomers that...when I saw you...I had hope...”

“Who is he, anyway?”

“He’s really short. Really fussy about swearing and, honestly, way too pure for this world.” The man rummaged through his pockets, taking out a small picture.

Tommy got closer to the image. There, two teens younger than himself smiled. The taller one, who was probably Skeppy judging by the hair, held two fingers behind the other's head. Completely unaware, the other boy was smiling brightly, eyes sparkling.

“Do you think he could be...y’know...not alive?” There was no answer. The description actually rang a few bells but the image left him confused. His mind couldn’t place where he’d seen the guy. Maybe in his hometown? If so, fat chance he goes there again to search for this mystery person. He’s never heading back- only forward.

Wow that was deep.

“Sorry, I don’t know him. If I see him here though, I promise I will tell you?” It sounded insincere even to his own ears, but he felt bad for this desperate dude that was willing to share his whole past just for a chance. A small chance that he wasn’t delusional. That there was hope.

Skeppy moved his mask and smiled tiredly in thanks. 

After a moment where they both stared at each other in silence, the man yawned. "So…do you wanna prank some villagers? There's this mute kid, Mega, who really hates my guts. I think we should visit him." And he winked.

And that's how Tommy made his first friend since forever.

____

Later, the man brings him back to the hotel, or was it a mansion? Tommy lounged in Techno’s office, playing with his hands as the pinkette worked on some paper stuff. The boy whined. "Im bored."

The man sighed before answering, "Why don't you just grab one of the books? " Indeed, in the room there were many bookshelves filled to the brim. A few were obviously religious, while the others had bland covers about the art of war and stuff. Tommy coughed, before answering, 

"Well I uh…you see… I can't read."

The man hummed, answering flatly "I guess you'll have to learn." He continued working and Tommy felt happy. Will he stop being illiterate? Fuck yeah! This is awesome!

A maid knocked on the door before entering. She brought with her some more fish and potatoes. Again? "Is your town's food only potatoes?" 

Techno chuckled. "You saw my potato farm. Wilbur also really likes fishing for some reason, so this is all we've got."

Tommy analysed this information. This meant that Wilbur and Techno were the one's in charge of the food. They were the top dogs around here. They were the ones people followed.

The two distinct styles he had seen throughout the town also made sense now. Those from Techno's group wore red/masks and those from Wilbur's wore white. Looking down at his own shirt, he understood why his boss had been amused by his clothes. They were both colours at the same time.

Amusingly, he realized that even if he had more information, he was still bored. Sighing again he started eating his slightly too salty fish.

All the while Techno observed him from the corner of his eye.

  
A few hours later during sunset, they went to the beach. The town, while being part of the forest and containing a potato field, also apparently had a beach and a mountain? Man this village was huge!!

Techno stared into the lowering sun. The temperature was warm, very different to how it was on the way here. He felt nervous around so much water, but could hide it well. Tommy was fiddling with a rock. What did the man bring him to do? Why here? He suddenly remembers that he’d wanted to ask the guy something.

“Hey big man… remember what Skeppy said about the town? About how bad it is here... is it true?” The question was simple. The answer wasn’t.

"Sometimes I believe that everyone who has arrived in this town came for a reason." 

Tommy's eyes wandered to Techno's face. The man looked grim and somber. Eyes reminiscing a time long past. "What are you saying…?"

The man sighed. "When you've been here as long as I, things start blurring. People start blurring."

"How…how long have you lived here?"

There was no answer. The blond turned to look at the waters, mind full of questions. Why couldn't anyone be fucking clear?! That is, until Techno nudged him in the side. Looking up at the man, Tommy received a smirk.

“How about we do a rock skipping competition? If you don't want to, that's fine, it's not your fault some of us are cowards. ”

He grinned. He was gonna beat this smug bitch-

  
Tommy lost

That night he went to sleep early after being urged by a few of the people who lived here. Apparently something big happens early next morning. Tommy felt excited and trepidated. Slumber came to him and his last thought was 'I can't wait!'


	3. Sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Blood for the Blood God."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //TW: BLOOD, SOME GORE. YOU CAN SKIP THIS CHAPTER//

He wakes up by someone shaking his shoulders. Drowsily, he squinted in the dark and saw Skeppy's silhouette. He got up slowly and stretched. He could hear the familiar high pitched voice mutter, “Hurry up. It’s starting soon dude.” 

Yawning, he received a cloak. Putting it on, he felt himself dragged by the hand, they were rough and scarred and yet gripping firmly. They were now outside and the moon shined intently.

A ton of people were standing in a circle. They all wore the same red cloak, looking kinda spooky. A man with a bag on his head was sitting in the center, unconscious-like. Blue eyes surveyed the peculiar image. What the hell was going on?

Close to him, a tall cloaked man with gloves held a torch. It was their only light source and illuminated the scene with an orange glow. The man holding it also wore a frightening pig mask that hid his identity.

Tommy felt a ball grow in his chest. What the fuck was happening? Breathing was hard with all the smoke clogging up his lungs and he felt foreboding for the events to come.

The pig held a ritualistic diamond sword. With loud steps he got closer to the kneeling man. The faceless person flinched at the approaching noises, scared and jumpy. Everything was silent, the only noise being the weeping and whimpers coming from the middle. But then, a familiar deep voice spoke.

“Blood for the blood god.”

The knife moved and within a second, blood was leaking onto clothes. The ruby colour will forever stay with him in his mind. There was just so much of it. It stained the ground and it stained the sword, a puddle was forming. He felt nauseous. Eyes focusing on the scene. The moon in the sky was red, the light shining onto all the clothing was red and Tommy could almost see the red on his hands. 

“BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!” The others chanted. 

And all he could do was watch and stay silent.


	4. Responsibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy has to get away he has to-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha I gochu fam ;) double update since the other one was so short

Tommy woke up to birds singing and a ringing in his ears. He felt catatonic. He didn't want to get up, not because the bed was soft, but because whatever he'd seen yesterday was haunting him.

The faceless man stared at him behind the boy's eyelids. The shrieking was stuck in his mind on loop like some sick song. He wanted to vomit. The bile rising in his throat suffocated him.

He got up. He took the nearest bowl and spilled all of his insides. It felt satisfying, yet he wanted to continue puking even when his stomach felt empty. All he could was stare inside the bowl with disgust.

Tommy's heavy eyelids looked up at the clock. 11 am. He woke up considerably later than yesterday, yet he didn't find it in himself to care. He still felt so fucking tired.

Taking in deep breaths, he moved towards the shower. He felt betrayed. He had trusted the man but- but now… 

The warmth burned his skin. He changed the temperature to icy water drops that felt fresh and helped wake him up.

After bathing, he put on the same clothes as yesterday, although they had been washed during the night by the maids. Rubbing his face, he couldn't continue on like…like this sleep-deprived mess!

He had a plan. He was going to do something about this. The boy was going to go over to that fucking pig and then show him what he did was wrong.

… and he's not going to end up on the chopping block either. He's not very good at combat, but not horrible either. He could take that man down if push came to shove. He hopes.

He opened the door with a creak. The blond knew that this was around the time where people gathered to eat together in the cafeteria. Something about reinforcing camaraderie. He hadn't eaten there on the first night since they wanted him to get used to the environment first. Techno is probably over there eating right now.

His steps were even and certain. His anxiety was trying to make him stop- make him think more before doing something that might end in his own blood bath. He ignored it. If he didn't do it now, the guilt will kill him first. Not that it already isn't.

He clutched his bee necklace tighter. This jewelry always brought him luck. He's hoping now that it will be enough.

He got to the already opened eating area door and started double guessing his plan again. Maybe he shouldn't do this, he could hear so many people here already! They could gang up and-

He slapped himself in the face. He was going to have a clean conscience even if it killed him. Last time when he'd just stood there and watched he…

Blinking furiously to get rid of the memory, he walked into the room. There were perhaps five people vibing, eating their potato breakfast. He identified Skeppy, but all the others were a mystery.

He sighed in relief, the pig wasn't here. But now, he couldn't just stand there weirdly in the doorframe, or else the others will think him strange. Speaking of... Did those guys also participate in the ritual?

Shaking his head, he reasoned that sure, they might have been involved, but maybe it was the bystander effect? Where, if you're in a group and anonymous, you're willing to commit horrible actions. So they aren't to blame. It's that damn leader's fault, with his blade the blood was spilled.

But then, in the window, Tommy saw a head of brown hair with a familiar face. Eyes widening, he sprinted towards the door next to the window. He ripped it open, but to his surprise, behind stood a tall man.

"Wilbur?" As he exclaimed, he tried to walk around the guy, but the man kept blocking his way. "Get out of the way-" 

"And why's that, son?" The voice was amused. Tommy less so. Finally, Wilbur relented after receiving no answer. The blond could now chase after the boy, but he was out of sights again. Damn it. He'd been so fucking close.

He walked back to Wilbur. Might as well finish his conversation. Actually, the brunette could help him with something else.

"Hey, do you know where's Techno?" 

Wilbur chuckled, rubbing his chin. His half lidded eyes observed Tommy calmly. "I was actually searching for that pig. He's probably in his office right now."

Pig. Wilbur had called Technoblade pig. The only time Tommy had associated Techno with that animal was after he'd seen him wear the mask. Has Wilbur also seen the mask?

"Do you… do you know what happened yesterday?"

"How do _you_ know, child?"

The ball in his chest hurt. Breathing hurt. He didn't want to be involved in this- he didn't want Wilbur, this stranger, to think less of him for that crime. This is just like back home- he cant- no no not again-

"I uhm…no? I mean, I don't? I just… heard it around." The lie wasn't convincing anybody. Honestly it was pathetic. Just like how he felt right now.

Wilbur gently held him by his shoulders and shook him slightly. Pulling him from his thoughts. "Tommy please be honest. What did you see?"

He blubbered, "I saw- was part of I guess- the ritual thingy… something about the blood god?" The words tasted bitter on his lips. Admitting it out loud felt so much worse than just thinking about it.

Wilbur hugged him tightly. Tommy doesn't know how he should respond, he's done something so fucking bad and…he doesn't deserve the hug. He pushed the Brit away.

The man stared at him with sadness in his eyes. Tommy blinked back tears. He wasn't sad, no matter what the traitorous water drop says. He flinched as he recognized the loud steps approaching from behind him.

"Oh hi Will." 

That's him. Turning around, he could see the man fully. Techno was standing innocently- as though he hadn't murdered a guy under 24 hours ago. His pig mask was gone, yet Tommy could imagine it in great detail. His heart beat a mile a minute and his hands were sweaty and shaking. This is what he wanted though, right? To confront the guy before he could kill others?

He compared how tall the man was to him. It was a frighteningly large height difference. Tommy also picked up how the man had hunched shoulders and a hand near a sword pinned on his leg. The image betrayed the utter confidence the pig had in himself. The guy knew he was the biggest threat here, so he didn't have to try and act tough.

"Why did you do it Techno?"

A frustrated huff. This must have been a reoccurring argument between the two. Wilbur's tone was… dissapointed? Wait- was he not part of the cult? How did he know then? What's going on?

"…you know fully well what that thief did."

Wilbur sighed, rubbing his face furiously. He murmured something similar to 'the nerve, to show a kid on his first night.'

The pig probably heard, since he defended himself saying, "Hey! The boy seemed ready. He looks fine to me so-"

"Look, Techno, the only reason I let your little cult stick around here is because you promised to behave. Do you think public execution rituals  
help? You know my opinions on those!"

Techno shrugged. "The dude had it coming. Also, blood for the Blood God." And he grinned a smile full of teeth. It wasn’t happy.

"Now, Tommy, come inside. I've got some books prepared for you, like what we talked about remember? It was surprisingly hard to procure… luckly, I managed." But Tommy didn't want to enter. He didn't want to stay close to the guy even if his heart ached. He shook his head, standing in the same spot.

That didn't deter the pig though. "Weren't you excited about this yesterday?" The voice was monotone. "You're finally learning how to read!" 

His head was bowed. Tommy wanted to get in. He really really did- he wished to be accepted again. Be safe in a family with this strong person as the leader. But he couldn't. His morals wouldn't let him. It took all of his energy to confess even when the heavy ball threatened to crush his chest once again. 

"I don't want to be part of your …cult, Techno."

  
There was only silence. He chanced a look at the man's face and regretted it. Oh how he regretted it. Technoblade's face looked carved out of stone. No emotions were shown. The man closed his eyes and breathed in and out a huge breath of air. When the voice came, it was calm, yet the anger was an undertone to the words and everyone could hear it.

"You don't have a choice. Get in."

Tommy gulped. He's already made his coffin, might as well lay in it.

"No. I'm leaving this stupid town."

The man grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, mumbling a "Yeah, good luck with that, nerd." Tommy went limp in the hold. All the fight left him. He was all talk and no bite they thought.

But in his head, a plan was forming. Buisness hasn't worked. He'll just have to sneak away. A smile forming on his lips. Techno hadn't killed him yet, maybe he's waiting for another full moon like the last guy? Anyway he has to make it out soon, so tonight he will do it.

He clutched his bee necklace. Wish him luck, Tubbo. 

Tommy might see you earlier than planned.


	5. Regret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy tries to get away from this little town.

  
The blond had been grounded in his room all day. He'd also gotten his eating rights taken so he was starving. That doesn't matter. He knew if he didn't try to leave now, he'd die.

Tommy's heart thundered in his ears. Every breath he took could be his last. He silently opened the door. Noone was here since it was late right now, yet he still wanted to make sure. The other followers could be anywhere, and he's sure they'd immediately murder him if they found him sneaking away.

Tommy quickly ran towards the end of the hallway. He wasn't wearing shoes, since those made incredible noise, so he was sliding on the cleaned wood. He also tried taking breaths that weren't too loud.

The boy reached the end of the hall, to the door that led to the kitchen, who would then lead to the outside world. He opened it, and grimaced at the loud door noise. 

His eyes glanced inside. His heart stopped when he saw a hooded man sitting. Gulping, he decided to act like nothing was wrong. Like he was busy. 

The anxiety was a pain in his chest, yet he did his best to ignore it. Act aloof, act aloof. 

"Tommy what the fuck are you doing right now?"

He jumped. He recognized the man now. It was Skeppy. The man removed his mask, observing him suspiciously. Chuckling nervously, he said.

"Nothing much...just felt for a walk." It's pretty lame but that's what he came up with first.

"At midnight?" The voice was apathetic, yet also somehow teasing him. The man probably wasn't aware of what had happened earlier today.

He laughed it off. "Don't worry. Be right back." And Skeppy didn't say anything more. The coast looked clear. Getting to the door on the wall, he was almost out when-

"You're not leaving me right?" And suddenly his friend was behind him. Holding his arm. His hands were shaking and the tremors just wouldn't stop- 

"I-Of course not!!" He insisted. He tried tugging his hand out of the death hold, but all it did was make Skeppy clutch harder. There was fury in his voice as he shouted,

"You better not be lying to me!"   
The emotions were genuine. He sounded hurt. His brown eyes were angry, yet he could see tears in the corners. He was about to yell again but Tommy interrupted him first.

"Don't scream-…I…I will be honest. I am running away. I just- can't stand what happened and- all that blood god shtick."   
He spoke quietly and quickly. If Skeppy's reaction is negative, he's ready to run away. It will be hard, but he believes he can manage.

But that doesn't happen. Instead, the teen wraps his arms around the boy. The hug was tight, and he could feel tears staining his sweater. All Tommy did was hold the other close. The man needed this.

"I'm sorry. It's just been so long that I've..." He does not finish his sentence. Instead, he pulls away. "I constantly feel it. The guilt. It haunts me but- I can't do anything about it." The boy heard him whisper the last part. "I know that you feel it too."

"How-?"

"Try and be safe out there? Please, for me?" The tremble in his voice was enough to convince him this wasn't a trap. Nodding grimly, he was once again rewarded with a smile. He got pushed outside, and with a final 'I'll keep 'em busy while you run around',

  
Tommy was gone.

  
____

  
With quick steps he escaped the town. He ran through the forest. The boy decided not to follow the trail, since it would only make it easier for those guys to find him. He wanted to be safe. They might be pursuing him right now.

He caught sight of a wall. It wasn't too tall, so he felt confident in being able to climb over it. This was it. The last barrier until freedom.

Hands first, he pulled himself up with a jump. Huffing, he tried passing his foot on the opposite side, but screamed in pain.

His foot felt like it was fire! His eyes teared up with painful water drops. He was still screaming, but the pain stopped the moment his foot came back from the invisible barrier.

He gently got down the wall, making sure not to put pressure on his injury. Sitting there, in confusion and alone, he guessed that the pig and the others would find him. He literally can't leave. This magic voodoo shit is stopping him for no reason. They'll kill him. He can't do anything.

A loud crunch pulled him from his depressing thoughts. Blue eyes snapped up to the noise. Techno's here. Well. That's it. Shows over boys. He held his necklace tightly. He hopes they'll do it quickly and at least bury him with his jewelry.

But it never came. Instead, what got out of the bushes was another man, Wilbur.

"Stop looking at me like that." He said, smirking.

Tommy followed the order and bowed his head. He honestly didn't know what to feel. Sure, this wasn't Techno, but this guy could probably pick him up and drop him at the man's door without hesitation. That’s his probable future honestly.

Surprisingly, the only thing he heard was some footsteps, and someone sitting next to him.

"There's this girl I loved. Blond hair like the sun and a smile that could daze a dozen." His voice sounded sad.

"What -?" Tommy's head snapped up.

"You see, she was always a little weird. Always slightly too smart- knowing things she shouldn't. It seemed like I was the only one who noticed. I thought I was going crazy, so I asked for a friend's opinion."

Tommy kept his mouth shut. If he waited long enough the man would get tired of storytelling and he would explain what was going on. 

"The next day, my friend told the chief priest. Not an hour later she was wrapped around a pole and left to die, getting eaten by crows from the sky."

A sigh.

"Yeah. You can't leave."

"I…why?"

The man rubbed his chin. His eyes were half closed but his piercing stare betrayed a sorrowful soul. He hummed.

"Nobody knows. The moment you enter, that's game over."

"…Why would anyone come here then?"

Wilbur chuckled, eyes cloudy with regret and something else. Something darker. "Everyone has their reasons."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all were really nice in the comments last chapter so I decided to post this one early!


	6. Disgrace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy finds himself in a new cult. It's different.

Wilbur took his sweet time carrying him back to the village. Yes. Carried. His leg hurt too much to walk on his own- or even while leaning on the other man. They had an argument since Tommy refused to be put in such a humiliating position. Wilbur had rebutted reminding him that they were hiding from a very dangerous person and his cult- that the Brit could get in trouble for helping him.

That shut Tommy up.

It wasn't all that bad honestly. His steps were silent, surprisingly. He was also extremely strong, being able to hold a 16 year old with seemingly no effort.

They finally reached the houses. They zoomed past the hotel he'd just escaped and continued forward. Tommy realized they were adventuring new territory- places Skeppy had earlier advised him not to enter.

The houses here were still white, yet they seemed to all collectively hate roofs? His eyes took in all of the details. It was so different from Techno's area- like this was a whole different town on it's own. 

He couldn't stop homesickness for his actual home from hitting him. It's been so long since he was in his tiny village, with his family and friends. He missed it so goddamn much. He wished he could go back, he desperately did. And yet, his guilty conscience wouldn't let him. There's no point in wishing for the impossible.

They would never forgive him anyway.

Wilbur slapped him over his head, snapping him out of his daze. Flinching, he observed the world around him. Yeah. Better not think about the past. 

He realized they had gotten inside a large building, with an insanely high roof that had a large window covering most of the surface. The floor was freshly washed and the sculptures were numerous.

They passed a water tank. It was gigantic, and yet there was only one fish innit. It stared at him, judgingly. The man next to him got closer to the window and look at the fish adoringly.

"This beauty is New-Milo." Tommy felt confused. Why was this fish accorded so much importance? Why did he even have a pet fish?

"Uh…how old is it?" He's having small talk about a cod. Not the craziest thing he's done in the past week though.

"It doesn't matter. He's still alive and that's what count, hm?"

Tommy was still confused, but the man chose to ignore it. Wilbur cleared his throat. "I'll need to leave you now, I've got some work to do. Ask anyone and they'll show you where you will be sleeping from here on out." The Brit walked away.

The blond decided to look around. He's safe here, apparently, so might as well. It doesn't stop him from looking behind his shoulder from time to time though. Paranoia wasn't paranoia if you knew someone was out to get you.

He got to the eating hall, everyone eating together even if it was 12 pm, he felt even more surprised that he recognized a few people eating. The teen had seen them around town- there was even the mute kid Mega sitting on the side.

His stomach grumbled. Oh yeah, he's still hungry. He nervously sat down at the edge of the table. Over the table, there were plenty of potato and fish dishes. He went to take some, but accidently hit his neighbor while moving, which stopped his hand.

"Bad?" He exclaimed. The man in question perked up upon being addressed. Tommy could spot the exact moment he recognized him, since his demeanor became much more warm. "Oh hey! You're that muffin from earlier."

Tommy shuddered at the memory. Sure, those muffins had been delicious, but they weren't worth the workout they had caused. Smiling, he put some food on his plate.

"So Wilbur's the boss you spoke of earlier..." His voice was inquisitive. Badboyhalo nodded. The blond found the man very amicable, and so they kept talking for the rest of the meal. Surprisingly, the fish tasted really good, and this time it was the potatoes that were kinda mushy.

A bell rang through the room. Badboyhalo, and a few other people actually, snapped their head at the sound. He couldn't stop himself from feeling curious, about to ask him, but the man only chuckled before grabbing him by the hand, speeding away with a horde of people. 

Befuzzled he tried to keep pace with the others, but his leg still hurt a fuck ton. Bad, realizing that Tommy is handicapped, lifted him up and carried him on his shoulder. Like a sack of potatoes.

They kept running. They just wouldn't stop- how much stamina do these people have? They got outside, the night sky shined on them, yet they continued. They got to a small green area. It was full of chairs, and were all pointing towards a mountain. Everyone sat down on the chairs, some clustering together to fit better. Tommy decided to follow their example after being gently let down by his friend.

They all had their hands flat on their knees- so he did too. They all had their eyes closed- and so did he. Everyone was quiet. Tommy tried to catch up on what happened in the past few minutes. The fuck were they doing?

After a few minutes, he heard someone speak. "Hello everyone, you can open your eyes now. I'm happy you all managed to make it here today- just like yesterday and all the days in the future." Wilbur's voice bellowed throughout the field. It echoed slightly and gave it an ethereal feeling.

"As you all know, the Sky god doesn't care about concepts such as time sleep or hunger. That's why when they call, you answer. Now, let's pray to the Sky God for forgiveness!"

The teen almost face palmed. Another cult? Really? How much bad luck did he have? Of course, he didn't say it out loud, only grumbling profanities in his head. Someone hit him from behind. Turning around to the woman, he whispered a 'hey bitch wtf?'

"I can see the negative vibes from here Tommy." Wilbur reproached. Tommy awkwardly chuckled. Well that was embarrassing. He could hear the other cult members laughing with him. At least they didn't take themselves too seriously, which is good for his sanity.

"Ok that's enough boys. Good night, we come back to our regular activities tomorrow!"

Everyone got up and walked back to the hotel. Badboyhalo carrying him again. Tommy didn't mind. He felt tired and didn't feel like socializing more today. His leg hurt and the help was appreciated.

They all slept in one large bunker. Tommy chose one of the top bunk beds as there was no risk of anyone falling onto him.

He fell asleep, dreaming of good times with his brother and parents. He missed them. 


	7. Culpability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy's curious about Wilbur.

The boy woke up naturally. Rubbing his eyes, he didn't feel like getting up. He still stood up though. There's no sleep for the wicked, as they say.

Letting his eyes adjust to the low lighting, he noticed that he was alone. He climbed down the ladder with difficulty, yet he managed. What time is it even?

He got to the eating hall once again, with much pain and effort from his leg. Luckly it felt better than yesterday. It was empty, yet he could spot the sun from behind the windows. Humming, he kept looking around. Without all the people here it felt kinda lonely.

Steps resonated behind him. Turning around he saw Wilbur, standing tall with his strange tunic. The man asked him,

"What's up Tommy?"

"What time is it?" The teen asked with a loud voice that echoed throughout the empty building. It felt cool. His thoughts abruptly stopped as he registered what Wilbur said. _'Tommy'._

He _never_ gave his name to Wilbur. 

"Hm it's about nine. Everyone is doing their chores right now. You could maybe meet up with Bad? I heard you were both friends." His deep voice stung his ears. How did the man know? The only people he'd told was…

"Have you talked to Techno about me?" He was serious. Did Will rat him out? Why? Had he been too quick to trust once again? Oh god-

The unexpected laugh caught him off guard. 

"Not every bloody thing is about you Tommy!" The leader said while laughing. He felt his ears warm up in embarrassment. He stammered out an apology for being so quick to attack.

"Now, I'll show you the kitchen where Bad works. That's where you'll be until your leg gets better." Wilbur's back faced him as he walked away, expecting Tommy to follow like some obedient dog. Of course the blond did, still blushing the whole time.

  
Tommy's question never got answered.

____

  
That's how Tommy spent the first few days, shadowing his friend as he worked. Honestly the goods he made were delicious, although the fish always slightly tastier than the potatoes, and they had fun sometimes.

Yet it was routine. Wake up with the sun, eat with Mega (who honestly was a very good listener) and Bad, clean up the kitchen and help cut the vegetables. After, eat once again with Mega and Bad, try adventuring in the town square- be too scared- and then it's night time already. Not to mention the bell ringing at random intervals, in which every time he had to go to the benches near the mountain. 

It was grating on his sanity. It's hard to imagine himself doing this everyday, until the one he died. He hoped he managed to get out before he became numb to it all.

That's how Wilbur found him, sulking on his bed one afternoon, with a sad frown on his face. The man tapped him on his shoulder politely.

"What do you want now, bitch?" Since he's gotten more comfortable here, his vulgar side has reappeared. Noone really minds. Wilbur only chuckled, slapping him on his back.

Another thing he'd noticed while living here, Wilbur doesn't care about anything. Literally, once on a memorable day, he'd accidently tripped on his bad foot and sworn a storm. All the man had done was laugh it off, even if this happened during their sacred Sky God ceremony thing.

  
"Tommy, I see that you've been working hard here. Also, your leg has gotten better right?" Blue eyes looked back at his leg. That too. Honestly it felt good as new- even if there was some heavy burn scarring. He nodded at Wilbur.

The man smiled and a crinkle formed in his eyes. He grinned mischievously. That wasn't a good sign.

"Well I've been thinking..." Oh oh, " …-how about I bring you to the inner village? I feel like you haven't been going out enough." 

Tommy freaked out (naturally).


	8. Dishonor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy freaked out.
> 
> Also, why tf does Bad have that photograph??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //TW : PANICK ATTACK \\\

His body shook no. Nonono. He couldn't- he might meet that man again. Techno. Flashes from that night appeared in his mind's eye. The screaming. The blood. His possible future if they saw each other again.

"Mmy-" a muffled voice said.

His hands trembled. If Techno finds him he's going to die- why is his chest hurting oh god oh god- if he ventures outside the pig's followers will find him- he doesn't want to die - why isn't there enough air?! Where is the air-?

"-omy!"

His head was ringing. Fingers dug into the thing he was on- sheets? He's on a…bed? Wasn't he in the field- with the red moon and the red red blood?

But suddenly he’s not in the field or the bed- he’s next to a lake. His head is ringing but all he can do is stare at the bubbles on the surface- oh godhesdeadandhesdead

"TOMMY!"

That brought him back. He inhaled a deep breath. Oh. He'd forgotten how to breathe during his panic attack. His hysterics still hadn't stopped, but they were slowing down.

“Listen to me. Breathe with me Tommy.”

He did. Finally, he felt his heart go at a regular pace. He opened his eyes- that had closed during the fit- and adjusted to his blurry eyesight. He saw Wilbur smiling at him calmly, arms open in invitation. Tommy leans into the hug. Wil isn’t warm, but that's okay. His presence here is enough.

“Sorry about that, child. You can go whenever you’re ready.”

They continued hugging. It felt nice. At one point, Tommy fell asleep again.

____

The teen woke up much earlier than usual. Yawning he looked outside the window and it was still dark. Humming to himself quietly, he carefully stepped his way out the door. He felt like getting some fresh air to clear his mind from yesterday.

Whistling a low tune, he shuffled his way outside. The moon glowed brightly in the night. Seeing it made him slightly nervous, but he felt okay. Looking around himself, he realized that he was somewhere new in the garden. Somewhere he’d never explored before. 

With a small frown, he looked over the graves. There were quite many, and yet they all seemed properly cared for. No weeds, only slightly decayed flowers over each one. A bit farther away, he could see someone kneeling in front of a grave.

Tommy slowly wandered closer to the person. He tried to stay silent, the man was grieving right now and the blond didn’t want to interrupt. As he got nearer, he identified the man. It was BadBoyHalo. Everyone has their demons. 

He accidently stepped onto a leaf which caused an audible crack. Bad didn’t even flinch. Tommy took it as a go ahead sign and sat behind the man. They stayed silent, in their own little bubble.

The boy heard Bad sigh. Looking over the man's shoulder, he spotted a photograph. A familiar photograph.

It was the exact same one Skeppy held.

"Yo dude! Where did you get that photo?" He hadn't meant to scream, but he got caught off guard. Badboyhalo flinched at the volume, but kept looking at it. His hand went over his hood, lifting it down and revealing his face.

It was horribly scarred, yet you could still spot the similarities between him and the boy in the photo. The young man smiled slightly.

"I…don't know. One day, I woke up in the forest, no memories and the aftermath of a natural disaster surrounding me." He chuckled weakly. "That boy I… I don't remember him. I've been wandering around searching for him but, I haven't succeeded yet." 

That story sounded ireelly similar to the other one he heard. Was Badboyhalo actually the person Skeppy had been searching for? Could it be? 

The man held his knees close to his chest, shaking slightly, with tears streaming down his face. "I just…I want to tell that muffin I'm ok..." This resolved his doubt. He needs to at least try. For Bad's sake.

_____

Tommy stared at the large door. He has to get out. If the blond wants to tell Skeppy, he needs to find him first. To do that, he has to adventure where Skeppy might be… Where Techno might be.

The kid gulped. If he wanted to help the duo, he had to do it. He couldn't afford to be fucking selfish right now. They needed him.

He breathes in deeply. Ok. He can do it. It's just a door - or his certain doom. Luckly he'd thought of covering himself with a disguise first. He wore a white coat similar to Bad's that hid his face and body type. That way they wouldn't just immediately recognize him by his blond child status.

Tommy pushed the door. Nothing happened. Ok ok he can do it. His anxiety was a steady presence in his throat, but at the same time he felt comforted by it. At least he wasn't going alone.

He stepped outside, still not dead. All was going well. He continued and managed to make it into the town square. Ok now to find that blue guy…

He saw a stall completely covered in blue paint with some footsteps leading away. That was easy! He nonchalantly followed trail. Nothing out of the ordinary here-please don't find him weird Techno he's definitely not Tommy hiding in plain sight!!

The footsteps abruptly ended I'm the middle of the road, though. Scratching his head, he wondered why. Hmm, what did Skeppy teach him? 

A memory resurfaced. They had just finished annoying the Mega kid, and were heading back home. Tommy had been laughing at a joke, when Skeppy had patted his back. Looking over , he saw the man pointing towards wood barrels. "Those, Tommy, are the best hiding spots ever. Noone ever looks for you in them since the bisectors of the photosinthisis hides you so well!"

The blond decided to look into the wood barrels. Might as well. Walking over to one, he knocked it gently. Out came a familiar head of brown hair. 

"Oh hey Toms!" The man said smilling. He lifted himself out of the barrel, shoes in hand. Well, that explained it.

"Listen I... I have to talk to you about something." He didn't know how to start this. He's actually kind of scared that he's wrong and has given them both false hope. He took a deep breath.

"Yeah? Whass' up?" His tone was light, even if he examined his clothing with a hint of disgust. So apparently the cults hated each other, good to know.

"It's about that boy you're looking fo-." Tommy doesn't have the chance to finish his sentence before Skeppy is holding him tightly, nails digging into his arms.

"Where is he." The question wasn't pronounced like one. It's an order. Skeppy's dark side showed it's self once again. His face wasn't visible because of the mask, but he was probably glaring. Gulping, he responded.

"His name is BadBoyHalo- he's in the Sky God's cult and wears a cloak like mine- he's probably in the kitchen right now!" Tommy spoke as quickly as possible. His shoulders hurt because of the grip.

Luckly, Skeppy let go. He ruffled his blond hair affectionately. "Thanks dude." He said before running out of sight.

That was the last day he saw either of them. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha glimpses into Tommy's backstory go brr.
> 
> Btw Dandifine made some POGGER fanart last chapter- pls tell them it's great . Or dont. But I highly suggest you do :3


	9. Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy interrogates Wilbur.

Wilbur walked with him up a path. The blond hadn't been informed of where they were going, only told to follow the cult leader. The man had started smiling permanently since a few days ago- the day he'd adventured into town with a mission. His good mood was apparently not usual since the other cult members had been just as confused as him.

Blue eyes looked up at the sky. It was sunny yet also windy. He fidgeted with his hands as they marched. Where were they heading?

He chuckled weakly. "So uh. What are we doing right now?" His steps were obnoxiously loud, compared to Wilbur's silent ones. The man grinned. "Walking," 

Tommy scoffed at the answer. That's a dumb fucking answer. This bitch better have a better one or he swears-

"I haven't seen Bad in a while." The cultist said while observing the trail going up. Tommy hummed in agreement, calming down a bit.

"I saw you talking to him in the graveyard earlier that day." He noticed. The blond smiled softly, he was proud of how he'd acted in that moment. For once, he'd done something instead of just running away- like with the Techno situation.

"Did you know no one writes the graves?" This one sided conversation left him at a lost for words. What does that mean? Noone writes the graves? Is it another one of those spooky things that happen for no reason- like the invisible barrier? "You're joking right?" He asked.

"Nope!" He said way too gleefully, ruffling his hair.

"Ok then… you still haven't answered my question, where are we going?" He asked while repositioning his blond locks. It bothered him to no end being shorter than the other.

"You haven't noticed we've been moving up the mountain?" Indeed, they had been in an upwards angle during their whole conversation. He felt like an idiot for not noticing. Clearing his throat to change the subject, he thought. This might be the only chance he has to ask questions. He couldn't afford to waste this opportunity.

"How do you…how do you know Techno?"

The man stared ahead with the smile still in place. "Well, I've known that pig since we were young- from the moment he'd waltz in this town with revenge in his bones." He said warmly.

This was new information. He remembers conversations from earlier. Something about his family starving and that leading him to create a cult. A blood god related cult.

Wilbur, seemingly reading his mind, patted his head (again!). "You need to understand. His past wasn't…pretty." Yeah, his wasn't either but he's not a crazy religious killer! Luckly he didn't say it out loud, but it must've shown on his face since the man raised an eyebrow.

"His family's food reserve had been robbed because of him." He stated, giving Tommy a disapproving glance. "You shouldn't judge so rashly. That's really immature." 

He apologized quietly. A minute or two pass as they continue walking. Finally, Wilbur stops. They've reached the top. The hill gave them a view of the village.

He stared. It was around noon and the town looked so small from up here. So tiny. The wind caressed his hair.

"This is what God has given us."

And in the same breath,

" _Don't you think you could do better_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Tis a short chapter, but that's cuz I'm posting the last one today too :D


	10. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy finally gets it- what he has to do.

Tommy is sitting at the usual tables at around noon. Since Bad disappeared, he's gotten closer to Mega and they vibe together at lunch everyday. Honestly, the lack of the muffin lover didn’t really leave him sad. It means that the teen was right about his hunch.

As he was taking another piece of fish, he felt someone tap him on his arm. Looking to his side, he sees an old man. The man looked familiar, and Tommy just stared trying to remember where he'd seen the other before.

That's when he realized. Oh. This was the guy that drove him into this town! It's been weeks since then! It felt like a lifetime ago. He chatted with him for a bit. Apparently immediately after arriving- and probably before Tommy had his chat with him- Wilbur had scooped him up into his cult. 

Tommy had been telling an abbreviated version of his own stay here, when he saw the usual brown haired boy in the corner of his eye. That's enough. He shot up, apologized quietly and ran towards the kid.

This time he didn't lose sight of the boy. The blond kept chasing with a fierce determination. The kid's not getting away again!

Finally he stopped- Tommy hot on his heels. They're in front of a lake. This makes his chest constrict, but nothing crazy. He had to confront his ghosts. Finally, the brunette turned around, smiling.

"You just gonna watch slowpoke?" He said teasingly. They both always knew he was the fastest of the duo.

"tubbo," Tommy's frail voice breaks at the name. "What are you doing?"

The only answer was a giggle. The water currents were harsh and splashed his brother's shoes. His dead brother's shoes.

The boy is standing one foot, on the slippery floor. "This is fun hehe!" He said happily. All Tommy could do was stare hysterically. He knows what's going to happen yet he's too far away to stop it.

Tubbo slips. "tom-!" 

Tommy runs but is too late. He manages to grab the boy's necklace while he's underwater, but that's all he gets.

The boy flashes out of his vision as does the memory. The teen remembers that day in detail. It's been so fucking long but he can't-

He sobs into the necklace. He misses Tubbo. His laugh, his pranks, his weird laws. It's all his fault he died -he was too fucking slow-

He also misses his family. He had to leave them. He didn't want them to have to live with their son's murderer everyday.

He could feel the stares in his back when still in his village, they were accusing him. Hating him. They knew he's the one who killed his brother. He’s horrible to everyone around him.  
…

  
That's not true. Since arriving in this town, he had managed to do many things right. He stood by his morals, getting away from the Blood God shit. He helped Skeppy and Badboyhalo. He's… he's grown. He's not the little guilty kid from so far away in the past- he has changed.

Tommy stared at the necklace as his sniffles dried. These beads were heavier than any of his sins. He looks over at the stone wall with the invisible barrier. He has flashbacks to everything that happened in these past weeks. He doesn’t actually need this jewelry to remember his brother.

He understands what he has to do now.

Slowly he got up. Every step he took towards the water felt heavier than the last. Yet, the moment he heard the sudden splash in the water, he felt free. Tubbo would want it more than him anyway.

Smiling, he felt happy tears in the corner of his eyes. A few more steps away, he saw a door. He felt calm as he walked towards it. Time to leave this town.

He got to the handle and as he was turning it around, someone hit his back.

Turning around, he saw a familiar face growling at him. Technoblade.

  
“Either both of us leave- or neither of us do.” 

His heart stops for a second. Was he going to die- so close to the end? Had Techno been spying on him since he left?

But death never came. He could see the pig trashing around, but he was being held by someone. He was being held by Wilbur.

“See ya later son, good luck out there!” He yelled while holding the angry screaming man. ”NO DON’T THIS IS MY ONLY CHANCE-”

Tommy got out before the other finished. He didn’t feel bad about dooming the two here. They’ll get out when their time comes.

Smiling softly, he held his empty neck with a soft hand. He didn’t need any old jewelry to remember Tubbo.

Turning around one last time to say goodbye to a village that changed him so much, he couldn’t see it anymore. It had disappeared.

Was it even real in the first place?

  
_**Extra scene**_.

The glowing Blood and Sky god looked at Wilbur curiously. The little human had gotten over his guilt years ago, yet stayed in this hell voluntarily. Standing on the highest point of the mountain, the man seemed so small especially compared to thee.

"Why?"

The boy grinned toothishly.

"Well, I can't just abandon Techno now can I? That would make me such a horrible friend :D"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wil... wilbur?
> 
> This fic has some re- readability actually. (What were the two cult boys discussing in chapter one? Why couldn't he leave the first time he tried? [Hint: chapter titles]. Why did Wilbur say "you know my opinion on {cults}"?) Lots and lots of questions answered!! 
> 
> Should I do a part two with this changed Tommy, meeting new people (cough cough dream team) and maybe possibly starting his own cult? Let me know in the comments!!
> 
> Also let me know of any criticism. I really wanna get better at this whole writing thing. 
> 
> Well, that's it bois :P have a nice day/night!

**Author's Note:**

> FYI : this isnt set in a minecraft (with mobs and stuff) or irl (being real ppl). This is an Au. I've tried to limit using their actual names since i find that icky. 
> 
> Anyway, hi everyone!! I'm really exited to be posting again :O I hope I see some familiar/new faces in the comments, since those make me rlly happy :3 
> 
> I promise there's plot. I will also be sticking to a 1 chpt every 2 days upload schedule. This fic will be around 11k words so uhm. buckle up!


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